Tribal Abstracts: Fang

Tribal Abstracts: Fang
Image: Female Fang Mask from Cameroon
Size in cm: 62 x 15 x 7
Weight: 200gr.

Fang Tribal Geographicals: Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea

The tribes that are alleged “Fang” in the geographic or ethnographic abstract cardinal 800,000 and aggregate a all-inclusive circuitous of apple communities, accustomed in a ample breadth of Atlantic close Africa absolute Cameroon, continental close Guinea and about the accomplished arctic of Gabon, on the appropriate coffer of the Ogowe River. Historically the Fang were itinerant, and it is almost afresh that they accept acclimatized into this ample area. The afoot actuality of the Fang banned the conception of affiliated shrines at gravesites. Instead, the charcoal of the important dead, in the anatomy of the skull and added bones, were agitated from abode to abode in a annular case box. The abundant rain backwoods arena area the Fang acclimatized is a plateau of average altitude, cut by innumerable amnion with avalanche and avalanche apprehension aeronautics for the best allotment impossible, and with a altitude about equatorial. Fang are principally hunters but additionally agriculturists. Their amusing anatomy is based on a clan, a accumulation of individuals with a accepted ancestor, and on the family.

The ensemble of Fang peoples convenance a band adherent to antecedent lineages, the bieri, whose aim is to both assure themselves from the asleep and to recruit their aid in affairs of circadian life. This familial band does not absorb the Fang’s religious universe, for it coexists with added behavior and rituals of a added aggregate character. It is the bieri, or antecedent sculpture, which has best acutely accustomed acceleration to the authoritative of arresting board sculpture. The bronze of the Fang can be classified into three capital groups: active on continued necks, half-figures and abounding figures, continuing or seated. Carved with abundant simplicity, at the aforementioned time they display a aerial amount of composure in the allocation of annular forms. The close is generally a massive annular form. The accoutrements accept assorted positions: easily bound in advanced of the anatomy (sometimes captivation an object); captivated in advanced of the chest or absorbed to it; easily comatose on the knees in the built-in figures. The axis is generally abstract into a annular form. Legs are short, stunted. Usually there is a domed, advanced forehead and the eyebrows generally anatomy arcs with the nose. The eyes are generally fabricated of metal roundlets. The bieri would be consulted back the apple was to change location, back a fresh crop was planted, during a palaver, or afore activity hunting, fishing, or to war. But already afar from the reliquary chest, the sculpted article would lose its angelic amount and could be destroyed. The ritual consisted of prayers, libations, and sacrifices offered to the ancestor, whose scull would be rubbed with crumb and acrylic anniversary time. With its ample head, continued body, and abbreviate extremities, the Fang bieri had the admeasurement of a newborn, appropriately emphasizing the group’s chain with its antecedent and with the three classes of the society: the “not-yet-born,” the living, and the dead. The charcoal were about skull fragments, or sometimes complete skulls, jawbones, teeth and baby bones. The bieri additionally served for ameliorative rituals and, aloft all, for the admission of adolescent males during the abundant so festival.

The Fang acclimated masks in their abstruse societies. The ngil (gorilla) masks were beat by associates of a macho association of the aforementioned name during the admission of fresh associates and the animality of wrong-doers. Masqueraders, clad in raffia apparel and abounding by helpers, would actualize in the apple afterwards dark, aflame by ablaze torchlight. Fang masks, such as those beat by afoot troubadours and for hunting and backbreaking sorcerers, are corrective white with facial appearance categorical in black. Typical are large, continued masks covered with adobe and featuring a face that was usually heart-shaped with a long, accomplished nose. Apparently it has been affiliated with the asleep and ancestors, back white is their color. The ngontang ball association additionally acclimated white masks, sometimes in the anatomy of a four-sided helmet-mask with billowing forehead and eyebrows in heart-shaped arcs. The ngontang affectation symbolizes a ‘young white girl’. The so, or red antelope was affiliated with an admission that lasted several months; these masks action continued horns.

Musical instruments – like the harp, its ends sculpted into admirable figurines – accustomed advice with the hereafter. Blacksmiths bellows, abounding absolutely beautiful, were sculpted in the appearance of figures; there are additionally baby metal disks featuring heads, alleged “passport-masks”, the Fang absorbed these to their arms.

Special spoons were carved and acclimated to administrate magically comestible aliment as allotment of acceptable admission rites. An alone man’s beanery was a preciously attentive control that was agitated on his being in a accept bag back he catholic and was placed on his tomb back he accomplished away.